Coconut Chips

I first
encountered these chips at a colorful restaurant in Barbados called
Raffles. I can't think of a better accompaniment to a planter's
punch or other rum drink.

When buying coconuts, look for ones that feel heavy in your
hand. Shake the nut: you should be able to hear the liquid slosh
around inside. A dry coconut is past its prime.

To open the coconut, punch out the eyes with a screwdriver and
hammer. Invert the coconut over a glass and drain out the clearish
liquid inside, the water. Coconut water makes a refreshing beverage
in its own right (serve over ice) and is great mixed with rum and
Falernum.

Wrap the drained coconut in a towel and smash it into five or
six pieces with a hammer. (The towel prevents shards of the shell
from flying.) Using a short, stiff-bladed knife, pry the coconut
meat away from the shell. It's a good idea to wear heavy gloves
when working with coconut to protect your hands. (To make the meat
easier to remove from the shell, you can bake coconut pieces for
about 20 minutes in a 400 degree F. oven. This will help loosen the
meat from the shell.)

Trim the brown skin off the white meat with a paring knife. The
coconut is now ready for slicing.

1 ripe (hard) coconut
Salt

Drain, open, shell, and peel the coconut as described above. Cut
the coconut pieces into paper-thin chips, using a mandoline,
vegetable peeler, or food processor fitted with a slicing blade.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange the strips on a baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with
salt. Bake the chips until crisp and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes,
turning with a spatula to ensure even cooking. Transfer the chips
to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store the chips in an airtight container away from heat or
light. The chips will keep for up to a week, although they seldom
survive the afternoon at our house. If they should become soft or
soggy, you can rebake them until crisp.